DE 20 2005 008 327 U1 discloses an end for a tank filler neck of a fuel tank of a motor vehicle and for the seating of a filler inlet cap, comprising a neck tube, a metal end piece, which is arranged on the neck tube so as to form at least part of a neck end area of the filler neck, and a screw thread, which is arranged internally in the neck tube. The screw thread is formed by a threaded element, which is a separate component from the end piece.
DE 203 09 799 U1 discloses a capless filler neck of a fuel tank having a filler neck, which comprises an upper collector, which is embodied as a hollow chamber enclosed by a wall, and an upper neck edge passing through the wall of the collector to receive a fuel filling nozzle, the collector being connected to the fuel tank, and an upper closure, opened by insertion of the fuel filling nozzle, for closing the upper neck edge, which closure is automatically held in the sealing position by return componentry when the fuel filling nozzle is not inserted. The collector comprises a lower wall having a lower filler inlet, which connects the interior of the collector to a lower neck part connected to the fuel tank. The lower filler inlet can be closed by a lower closure, which can be opened by insertion of the fuel filling nozzle and is automatically held in the sealing position by a second return componentry when a fuel filling nozzle is not inserted.
Filler necks which can either be closed by a filler inlet cap, that is to say which are designed as a cap system, or which as a capless system can be adequately closed without the use of a filler inlet cap when no fuel filling nozzle is being inserted into the filler neck, are therefore known in the state of the art.
In practice the two systems have each proved suitable for their intended purpose, either the cap system or the capless system being used in individual markets according to international market requirements. However, in some countries non-standardized fuel filling nozzles are used, so that the capless system in particular can be used only to a limited extent. If a motor vehicle manufacturer then opts for the capless system, for example, when equipping his motor vehicles, considerable marketing difficulties could then occur, since perhaps only a cap system can be used in the particular market. The two systems are constructed differently from one another or are designed with individual refinements, so that a change from the capless system to a cap system and vice-versa holds considerable difficulties.
Proceeding from this, the inventor herein have recognized certain advantages of providing a filler neck of the aforementioned type as a system of modular construction, that can be cost-effectively manufactured and individually adapted either as a cap system or as a capless system.
Accordingly, one embodiment includes a filler neck having a housing and an insert coupled in the housing. The insert includes at least one flow aid and a head part having a screw thread. The flow aid is connectable to the head part. In this embodiment, the insert further includes a flap with a grounding lug connectable to the head part.
This disclosure provides a modular construction of capless and capped filler necks or filler pipe systems, in which the filler pipe, proceeding from a filler pipe or from its filler pipe head, can be used without modification for capless systems. The modular insert assembled according to market requirements is simply inserted in this pipe. If a motor vehicle is therefore produced for a consumer market in which the fuel filling nozzle is not standardized, for example, the capless system originally provided can easily be changed to a cap system, in which an adapted head part is connected or locked to the flow aid and introduced into the housing as an insert.
In order to be able to lock the flow aid to the head element, the flow aid on its outer circumference suitably comprises catches, which engage in latching eyelets arranged on the head part. The latching eyelets are preferably arranged on an insertion side of the head part. It is advantageous if more than one, for example two latching eyelets are provided, which are arranged circumferentially opposite one another. A number of catches corresponding to the number of latching eyelets is provided on the flow aid.
The head part comprises the insertion side and an opposing outer side, and is preferably designed with a cylindrical wall. In order to be able to connect or lock the insert to the housing, detent catches, which can be locked to detent recesses arranged on the housing, are advantageously arranged on the outer circumference of the wall. The detent catches are arranged to match the detent recesses on the wall, more than one, for example two detent catches and two detent recesses preferably being provided, which as previously mentioned are arranged circumferentially opposite one another.
It is advantageous if the head part on its outer circumference, that is to say in the wall, comprises a circumferential groove, in which a sealing element can be arranged. The sealing element is preferably designed as an O-ring seal. In a further advantageous development the sealing element comprises a circumferential, V-shaped, preferably a truncated cone-shaped cut-out on its outer circumference, so as to form two sealing lips arranged at an interval from one another. The sealing element bears with its outer circumference or with its sealing lips to form a medium-tight seal against an inner circumference of the housing when the insert, that is to say the unit assembled from the separate head part and the separate flow aid, is inserted in the housing and is locked thereto. The sealing element bears on the housing and prevents an unwanted outflow of fuel and fuel gases into the surroundings.
In a further advantageous development, the head part, on its insertion area or its outer circumference, may comprise a stepped bearing contact area, which is designed to correspond to (e.g., geometrically complement) an abutting area of the housing. Viewed in the vertical direction of the head part, the bearing contact area is preferably located between the detent catches and the circumferential groove. In its interior the insertion area comprises a seating area for the seating of the flow aid or for the seating of its head side.
In its interior, the head part comprises a filler inlet arranged eccentrically in relation to the center point for the introduction of a fuel filling nozzle. The filler inlet is surrounded by a separating element, which is connected to the inner circumference or the inside wall of the head part and extends radially into the interior of the head part. At least one circular segmental venting slit, which as a recess in the separating element adjoins the inside wall of the head part, may be incorporated in the separating element. It is advantageous if two venting slits, which are arranged circumferentially opposite one another, are provided.
A flap mounting for the flap is also suitably arranged on the separating element. In a preferred development the flap mounting is arranged between the two venting slits in a mounting area of the separating element and in a preferred development comprises a latching slot, with which a latching fillet of the flap can interact, so that the flap is securely locked inside the head part. The design and operating principle of the flap or the spring flap will be examined in more detail below.
For the seating of a filler inlet cap it is advantageous for the purposes of this disclosure if the head part, on its inner circumference or on its inside wall, comprises a screw thread, which in a preferred development and when viewed in a vertical direction comprises an upper thread and a lower thread. In order to achieve an automatic ejection of the filler inlet cap from its closed position into a removal position, the lower thread suitably comprises two portions of different pitch, the two portions preferably being arranged at an obtuse angle to one another. For the purposes of this disclosure an obtuse angle is an angle which is greater than 90° but less than 180°, the two portions, viewed in longitudinal section, virtually being arranged almost in a z-shape relative to one another. This indicates that, viewed in a vertical direction, one of the portions, relative to the other portion, rises above the other portion. If the filler inlet cap, which naturally comprises a corresponding, mating thread, is turned, preferably manually, out of its closed position into the removal position, the lower thread thus causes the filler inlet cap to spring out of the head part.
The flow aid is suitably of funnel-like design, and tapers from its head side towards an outflow side. The flow aid can be inserted by its head side into the head part or its seating area, so that the head side is gripped by the insertion side of the head part, and the catches on the flow aid can engage in the latching eyelets of the head part.
In the fitted state the flap is arranged on the head part in such a way that its grounding lug protrudes outwards beyond the actual head part. It is therefore advantageous if the flow aid comprises a cut-out on its head side, so as to allow the grounding lug to protrude, so that the latter can bear against the inside wall of the housing, when the insert, that is to say the unit assembled from the separate head part and the separate flow aid, is inserted into the housing and is locked to the latter. In a preferred development the cut-out may be of circular segmental design, so that its zenith is oriented towards the outflow side.
In a suitable embodiment the flow aid on its outer circumference may comprise guide elements, which in a preferred development are virtually of a fin-like design and protrude from the flow aid.
In a suitable embodiment the flap is integrally formed with a closure element, a spring fillet arranged thereon and the grounding lug located on the spring fillet. Located on the spring fillet is the latching fillet, which can be brought into latching engagement with the latching slot in the separating element. In a closed position the flap closes the closure element of the filler inlet, and is deflected when a fuel filling nozzle is introduced. When the fuel filling nozzle is removed from the filler inlet, the closure element is returned to its closed position under spring force.
The spring fillet comprises more than one, and in a preferred embodiment four spring portions. A first spring portion is bent out of the plane of the closure element, and merges into a second spring portion, which is doubled back towards the closure element plane, but protrudes beyond this. The second spring portion merges into a third spring portion, which is doubled back from the former towards the closure element plane. A transition between the second spring portion and the third spring portion is of rounded design, the third spring portion having a smaller axial extent than the second spring portion. The third spring portion merges into a fourth spring portion, which is arranged running virtually parallel to the closure element plane. The grounding lug adjoins the fourth spring portion. The latching fillet is located at the transition between the second and third spring portions.
The grounding lug is of virtually U-shaped design with two U-legs and a base web. With its connecting leg the grounding lug is located on the fourth spring portion of the spring fillet, the connecting leg merging into the base web. The base web merges into a bearing contact leg, on which a curvature is sited. The curvature is formed as an elevation or dip in relation to the base web. The bearing contact leg has a smaller axial extent than the connecting leg. The bearing contact leg or the elevation sited thereon serves to produce a bearing contact with the housing when the insert, that is to say the unit assembled from the separate head part and the separate flow aid, is inserted in the housing and locked to this.
The insert can thus be inserted into the filler neck, and into the filler pipe head. A filler inlet cap can be screwed to the head part. The modularly assembled system can thus be readily inserted into the filler neck to suit the respective market requirement of the relevant market. It is therefore feasible to modularly construct a cap system from the capless system. This is possible since advantageously the interfaces of the cap system have been correspondingly adapted to the configuration of the filler pipe, which is used for a capless system. Naturally a capless system can still also be inserted into the filler pipe or the filler pipe head, since both systems now have a uniform interface to the filler pipe head. A facility for individual adaptation to market requirements is thus achieved.
The summary above is provided to introduce a selected part of this disclosure in simplified form, not to identify key or essential features. The claimed subject matter, defined by the claims, is limited neither to the content of this summary nor to implementations that address problems or disadvantages noted herein.